Rail-brace.



I Improvement in Rail-Braces, of which the v a verticalI cross-section' showing proved brace ap I' spending partsin the several views.

' base O, an inclined strut D, extending'upwardly at an obtuse angle from means of spikesV F F ,driven into the tie and UNiTED STATES CHARLES A. yALKINS, OF MEMPHIS,

PArErrrV oFEIoE- TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, .BY MESNE ASSIGrNMEN TS, TO NIAGARA FORGED STEEL COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A vCORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RAIL-BRACE- speciaals/tin of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

To a/ZZ whom t may concerm Be it known that I7 CHARLES A. ALKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, inthe county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful following 1s aspeciiication. f

The object of this invention is the production of a rail-brace of improved construction which for its weight holds the rail more reliably against turning and vertical movement than those heretofore in use and 'which can be manufactured expeditiously and at comparatively low cost out of fiat-rolled steel plate by means of a steam-hammer or bullf dozer.7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is myl imlied tothe rail and tie. Fig. 2 is a horizonta section thereof in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section in line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-vv A represents the rail, and B the tiesupporting the same.

My improved -brace comprises a horizontal the inner end of the base, and a stiening-web E, connecting the upper sides of the base and strut and extending centrally across the corner b'etween the same. These parts are so proportioned relatively to the rail with which they coperate that the upper end -of the stay bears against thecorner between the under side of the rail-head andv its web, the corner at the lower end of the strut and the inner end of the brace-base bears against the outer edge Lofthe base of the 4rai1,and the base of tie. The brace is held in this position byarrangedin recesses f f in the side edges and the outer end edge of the base, as shown in Figs. land 2.

- The brace is'formed out of fiat-rolled sheety steel by means of suitably-constructed dies mounted in a steam-hammer or bulldozer,

which enables the same to be made chealp and rapidly. The stiEening-Web [is hol and arch-shaped in cross-section and is formed by striking -up parts of the stock of the strutand base.

When in use, the head of the rail is :support-v ed by the strut, which extends from the under side of the same to the edge ofthe railf base, and the strut is in turn sustained by the web, which extends from thestrut inside of the outer edge of the rail-base to the base beyond the outer edge of the rail-base, thereby combining the bracing eEect of the strut and web and distributing the same over a larger area than has been possible inrail-braces as heretofore' constructed, whereby the rail is firmly supportedagainst turning. Furthermore, a much stier construction is lproduced which eif'ectually counteracts. any tendency to move the rail vertically. l The web is raised out of the stock of the strut and base to such an extent thatthe side edges of the' corner between the strut and base are drawn inwardly land contract these' parts of the strut-base, as shown at g, thereby reducing to a minimum the amount of stock in the corner of the brace, which is in an unfavorable position for sustaining the rail and obtaining vthe greatest varea of metal in the position most favorable for sustaining the rail, while at the same timemaintaining a wide bearingsurface for engagement with the rail-head and the tie. A

I claim as my invention- A rail-brace pressed out of metal plate so as to form an inclined strut which is adapted to bear at its A,upper edge against the under side of the rail-head and at its lower end against the outer edge of the rail-base, and a web which is arch-shaped in cross-section and connects the central parts of the strut and base of the brace, said web being raised out of the stock of the strut 'and base to such an extent that the sideA edges of the corner between the strut and base are drawn inwardly and contract these portions thereof, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 27thday of October,

CHARLES A.ALKINS. Witnesses:

J. T. SETTLE, J. M. WEBER. 

